1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of correcting pattern data or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a downsized and highly dense semiconductor device, it has been difficult to reliably form a contact hole. Thus, there occurs a problem that an upper layer pattern and a lower layer pattern cannot be reliably connected to each other by means of the contact hole, which is a main cause of the lowered yield of the semiconductor device. A size of the contact hole may be increased in order to reliably form the contact hole. However, if the size of the contact hole is merely increased, a distance between the contact hole and an adjacent pattern becomes too short. Thus, the contact hole pattern and the adjacent pattern come into contact with each other, an electrical short-circuit is likely to occur, making a main cause of the lowered yield of the semiconductor device. Therefore, conventionally, it has been difficult to enable the increased size of the contact hole, and moreover, to maintain the distance between the contact hole and the adjacent pattern to be constant or more.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-131882, there has been made a proposal that a size of a contact hole pattern is corrected in order to enhance a process latitude. However, this proposal focuses on only contact hole patterns in the same layer, and it is difficult to avoid the above described problem.
As described above, conventionally, it has been difficult to increase a size of a connecting pattern such as a contact hole, making a main cause of the lowered yield of the semiconductor device.